Traditional ad servers are designed to monetize websites and apps by serving display and banner ads on owned inventory. However, when it comes to video content, the requirements extend far beyond standard ad serving. A video ad server is specifically built to monetize video streams, whether on owned inventory (such as OTT platforms, CTV apps, or live-streaming services) or third-party inventory.

Video ad servers require specialized capabilities that are fundamentally different from traditional ad servers. Here’s why a dedicated video ad server is essential and what differentiates it from a generic ad-serving solution.

1. Support for CSAI, SSAI, and Hybrid Ad Insertion

   A generic ad server primarily delivers client-side ads, but video monetization demands more advanced insertion techniques. Video ad servers must support all three types of ad insertions:

   • Client-Side Ad Insertion (CSAI): Ads are requested and played on the user’s device. For your apps, direct tracking & interaction is possible, making it ideal for personalized targeting and user engagement.

   • Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI): Ads are stitched into the video stream. When streams are shared with Partner apps, this method ensures smooth playback across devices and mitigates the impact of ad blockers.

   • Hybrid Approach: A mix of CSAI and SSAI. When Partner Apps have tracking SDK support, this approach enables flexibility to optimize ad delivery based on content type, device, and bandwidth conditions.

2. CTV-Enabled Features

   Unlike traditional ad servers, video ad servers must support Connected TV (CTV) platforms, ensuring compatibility with smart TVs, streaming devices (Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV), and gaming consoles. This requires:

   • VAST, VPAID, and VMAP compliance for serving ads across different environments.

   • Dynamic ad podding, ensuring multiple ads are sequenced optimally in a single break.

   • Frequency capping at the device level to prevent ad fatigue on shared screens.

3. Transcoding and Adaptive Streaming for Seamless Playback

   Video ads come in various formats, resolutions, and bitrates. Unlike a standard ad server that serves static creatives, a video ad server must handle transcoding and adaptive bitrate streaming to ensure smooth playback across devices and network conditions. This involves:

   • Converting ad creatives into multiple formats (MP4, HLS, DASH, etc.).

   • Adjusting quality dynamically based on the viewer’s bandwidth and device.

   • Ensuring that video ads match the quality of the main content stream.

4. Advanced Metric Tracking with Viewability Support

   Generic ad servers typically track clicks, impressions, and conversions, but video ads require additional performance metrics such as:

   • Viewability: Whether the ad was fully visible on the screen.

   • Quartile Tracking: Monitoring how much of the ad was watched (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%).

   • Completion Rates: Understanding how many users watched the full ad.

   • Engagement Metrics: Interaction with the video ad, including skips, pauses, and replays.

5. Companion Ads and Post-Ad Engagement

   Unlike traditional ads that disappear after impression tracking, companion ads extend engagement beyond ad completion. Video ad servers support:

   • Display or banner companion ads that appear alongside the video content, reinforcing the brand message.

   • Post-ad engagement features such as clickable overlays, end cards, or follow-up actions, enhancing conversion rates.

6. Critical Integration and User Experience Management

   With video ads, ad placement and experience matter more than in traditional ad formats. A video ad server must ensure:

   • Ad podding strategies to structure multiple ads efficiently within a single break (pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll).

   • Seamless transitions between ads and content without buffering delays.

   • Skippability options based on monetization strategies, balancing user experience with revenue.

   • Contextual ad placement to align ad content with the main video theme, reducing drop-off rates.

Conclusion

A generic ad server is great for monetizing websites and apps, but for video monetization, a specialized video ad server is essential. It supports CSAI, SSAI, and Hybrid ad insertion, is CTV-compatible, enables adaptive streaming, tracks advanced video metrics, facilitates companion ad engagement, and ensures a seamless user experience. For content owners and streaming platforms looking to maximize video ad revenue while maintaining an optimal viewer experience, investing in a dedicated video ad server is the way forward.

care@vmax.com